GREAT MILLS, Md. – With the nationwide epidemic of opioid and heroin use, recovery centers and churches are stepping up to shed light on the subject and meet the needs of the local community.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 112,000 overdose deaths took place in 12 months for the first time, most all of last year. That is an average of over 9,000 deaths each month, mostly due to fentanyl, first made for use as an anesthesia to be used in a hospital setting. It’s known to be 50-100 times stronger than morphine.
The vision for the Psalms 40 Project began with Bishop Jerry Staten, who started Living Hope First United Pentecostal Church on Midway Drive, just off Great Mills Road in 1982. As membership grew, it was time for a move. The church is now located on Chancellors Run Road and the head Pastor is Jason Staten. His helpmate, Valarie Staten leads the ladies’ ministry and has her own projects in the realm of Health and Body Fitness, and they have raised their four daughters in the church, who all serve in ministry.
Naomi Matulich, a facilitator for The Psalms 40 project has completed the Genesis process facilitator training via the Life Connect Recovery convention that she attended in Urbana, Illinois.
She said the concept comes from Psalms 40, verses 1-3. I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.
Matulich, who moved to St. Mary’s County in 2019, said, “I was in the church yet I sat in my seat deeply wounded from events which occurred long before I came to Maryland. I shut people out of my life, isolated myself, and did a good job at keeping my walls up.”
Little did she realize that when Bishop Staten asked her to attend the convention to assist in starting the recovery group at Living Hope, she would end up getting healed herself. Matulich stated that she was healed from negative behaviors and thought patterns.
“After putting myself through the 20 processes, which we use for the program, I realized although I’m not using anymore, my behavior for coping mechanisms was still responding to past hurts. Those responses were causing me to hurt the people that I love and not allowing me to be used by God to my full potential.”
“I am absolutely persuaded that if people can give up control of their current responses to life and give it to God, they can and will be transformed, renewed, and liberated.”
Matulich said that she hopes to see lives changed in St. Mary’s County.
“We want to see this program grow,” she said, “and hopefully be able to work with the St. Mary’s County Corrections Division to assist with anger management. We already have a post-abortion and sexual trauma seven-week grief therapy program. We need more volunteers as this grows.”
Matulich stated that they are trying to get all the volunteers who have stepped up trained, specifically in the area of addiction therapy.
A local resident found a Psalms 40 Project Invitation that was left at the methadone clinic, Outcome in Callaway, MD. Men are now meeting on Monday nights. Women on Tuesday night and Saturday evening are called IMPACT, which is for everyone. Saturdays begin at 5 p.m. for prayer and 6 p.m. for a time of sharing and fellowship.
“I was a week early,” Corey Brooks Sr. said. “No one showed up but I was determined to go back. I was already in a recovery program but they just danced around the subject of God and AA, alcoholics anonymous lacked power. I’ve always been a boisterous person [have a visionary approach].”
Once a broken man, Brooks is now a solid rock for his family; his wife Sherry, and his children and shares his favor of the Lord, far removed from the heroin attack he was in the past.
Two of his children were baptized “In the name of Jesus” this month by Systems Director, Trey Henderson and Pastor Jason Staten.
Brooks now works for Pyramid Healthcare. He said God has restored him and returned the years he missed out on. He enjoys going to work to assist those in recovery, a long journey that almost killed him.
Brooks had overdosed numerous times, drove under the influence many times, and wrecked his car into a tree. He was revived with Narcan over 15 times.
Brooks gives all the glory to God.
“God has given me the ability to lead people out of darkness,” he said. “I had to pick my hard. This hard, following Jesus leads me to life. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. From the moment I went to Psalms 40, I felt comfortable enough to share. Living Hope is a body of believers that’s not going to judge you. I’ve been to other churches in the area, but they judge you almost immediately.”
“When Pastor Jason Staten speaks – every week something in my spirit and the way my mind works; I just can see clearly where God has brought me from and I’m so grateful. He was speaking on the Dead Sea Scrolls and I can literally feel that because of the way he presents it. I enjoy hearing him preach.”
Brooks is prayerfully considering becoming a facilitator for the Psalms 40 Project. For more information, contact him at www.linktr.ee/CoreySr301
For more information and to donate to the upcoming training conference, there is a GoFundMe page entitled, ‘Life Connect Recovery Conference 2024’. This is a positive investment in the community that will have lasting effects.
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